How do they do it? From a small flat seed my sunflower has grown into a Jack-and-the-Beanstalk giant with a hefty great stem and leaves the size of tea towels (well, almost).
It's had no feeding, except for the mulch of own compost I give the whole garden in March. In June I measured myself against it and it had grown to 5ft. The squirrel was curious about this new tree and ran up it so that it arched over and I thought it would break. A furious sparrow flew at the squirrel with menacing chirps but there was nothing interesting up there for a squirrel anyway so it gave up.
We had some lively gales in July and the sunflower threatened to blow over. I had no bamboo canes left so I stuck a narrow-handled pavement weeder into the ground, strengthened with a brick and that worked well.
I've just been away for three days and now I've returned, lo! - the flower has come out - what a marvel.
My sister's own sunflower, sown at the same time as mine, has done the same thing and here they both are.
I'm always on the look out for wildlife in the garden and this morning I found a sad example of it. I have a bucket for collecting extra rainwater when the water butt fills up and a small mouse had somehow climbed in and drowned. There are three bird baths which I keep filled up so why did it go for something so difficult to get into and so deep?
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| Poor mouse! |
Your sunflower looks beautiful Barty!! Im still waiting for mine to flower, I'm worried my 8th story balcony might be a bit windy for them but there's definitely signs of petals unfurling on a couple of them!
ReplyDeleteHi Holly,
ReplyDeleteMissed your comment - but here's an answer at last! My sunflower is leaning over and near its end. I am wondering if the birds will find it and realise the seeds are good to eat. How did yours do in the end wonder? It's true that balconies attract lots more wind so plants sometimes turn out to be smaller (but tougher!). xx